Firms struggling to tap into markets

Irish companies are still struggling to tap into international trade opportunities and explore new markets, despite improving sentiment levels, according to a new survey.

The latest quarterly Global Economic Conditions Survey — from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) — shows that global business confidence moved into positive territory for the first time in five years, during the first quarter of 2014. Furthermore, the survey noted that 69% of Irish finance professionals said they were optimistic about the state of the national economy, up from 65% in the final quarter of 2013.

According to ACCA Ireland chief, Liz Hughes: “For the first time in years, Irish respondents are expecting public spending to increase in the medium-term, and confidence in the sustainability of public spending remains high, practically unchanged since late 2013.”